26 May 1999
Source: http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/pr/1999/May/207ag.htm

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    AG

    MONDAY, MAY 24, 1999

    (202) 616-2777

    WWW.USDOJ.GOV

    TDD (202) 514-1888


                       STATEMENT BY ATTORNEY GENERAL JANET RENO
                          ON THE LOS ALAMOS LABORATORY MATTER


    "I take very seriously the Department's responsibility to protect the national
    security." 

    "Additionally, I have the awesome responsibility to determine whether to
    authorize government intrusion into the lives of American citizens. But the
    Justice Department has not -- nor will it -- authorize such intrusions when,
    as in this case, the standards of the Constitution and the Foreign
    Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) have not been met." 

    "As in all foreign counterintelligence cases, the Office of Intelligence
    Policy Review (OIPR), a staff of career Department lawyers, reviews the FBI's
    and other agencies' requests and drafts the applications seeking court
    permission to authorize government wiretaps and searches. If there is not
    probable cause that a citizen is knowingly engaged in clandestine intelligence
    gathering activities for, or on behalf of, a foreign power which may involve a
    violation of federal law, then OIPR will not recommend that the application be
    presented to the Court." 

    "The OIPR review is a collegial process in which the office and the FBI work
    together to ensure that the application presented to the Court meets the legal
    standard. Although I was not apprised of the details of the case at the time
    the decision was made, I have reviewed the decision of the OIPR and fully
    support it." 

    "I have spoken to Director Freeh who agrees that the decision in this matter,
    as in all cases involving legal decisions, lies with the lawyers in the
    Justice Department, and Director Freeh firmly believes that the decision in
    this case was based on a principled analysis of the law and the facts that
    were presented by the FBI at the time they requested the FISA coverage."

    "There has been much speculation that the 1997 request for FISA coverage
    sought permission to search an individual's computer, but that is not the
    case. The request for FISA coverage did not contain a request to search any
    computer." 

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    99-207